The moment his palm made contact with the Sea God Pearl, the universe seemed to hold its breath.
And then it detonated.
It was not an explosion of sound, but of pure, divine light and pressure. The wisp of the Sea God's divine sense placed in the pearl, designed to resonate with a star of destiny, had instead come into contact with something far more fundamental, something it recognized on a primal, absolute level: the very bloodline of its creator.
Wang Dong's soul, though fragmented and veiled by his father's machinations, was still the soul of Tang San's daughter. The resonance was instantaneous and cataclysmic.
A pillar of brilliant, golden-blue light erupted from the pearl, engulfing Wang Dong completely and shooting into the heavens. The light was so intense, so holy, that every student in the plaza was forced to shield their eyes. An aura of boundless majesty, the unmistakable pressure of the Sea God himself, crashed down upon the academy.
It was a pressure that made no distinction between the weak and the strong. The first-year students fell to their knees, their faces pale, their hearts hammering in their chests with a primal terror and awe. The senior students and the teachers fared little better, many stumbling, their Soul Power feeling sluggish and heavy, like trying to swim through tar.
On the high platform, the mighty Titled Douluo were suppressed as if they were children. The Sea Dragon and Sea Woman Douluo instinctively dropped to one knee, their heads bowed in reverence to the overwhelming presence of their god. The academy elders, including the formidable Elder Xuan, felt their own vast power being pushed down, contained by a will as vast and deep as the ocean itself.
Even Elder Mu, the Limit Douluo, the man who stood at the absolute pinnacle of the mortal world, felt it. His ancient body trembled, and he had to lean heavily on his wooden staff, his eyes wide with a shock he had not felt in over a century. This was not just the power of a Titled Douluo; this was the true, undeniable presence of a god.
At the very center of the pillar of light, Wang Dong's body was frozen. A searing, divine heat spread from his palm through his entire body. He felt a power awakening within him, something ancient and familiar that his conscious mind could not grasp. On his smooth, handsome forehead, a complex, ethereal symbol began to glow, tracing itself into existence with lines of golden-blue light.
It was a trident. The divine mark of the Sea God.
In the ethereal beauty of the Divine Realm, Tang San let out a sigh that was laced with a profound and weary frustration. His carefully laid plan, the grand search for his chosen star, had just backfired in the most spectacular and public way imaginable.
He had been observing through the pearl, watching the parade of failed candidates, waiting for the tell-tale glimmer. He had never, in all his wise calculations, anticipated that his own daughter would be the one to trigger the resonance. The divine sense he had placed in the pearl had collided with the divine sense he had placed within his daughter's soul, amplified by their shared bloodline.
It was an unforeseen complication. A messy, frustrating, and deeply annoying one.
His priority now was damage control. He couldn't let Bai Shuiling and the others discover the truth. He couldn't let Shrek Academy start investigating the handsome young 'Wang Dong' who could manifest the divine mark of the Sea God. The secret of his daughter's identity had to be preserved at all costs.
He focused his will, not on the grand display of power, but on a single, targeted thought. He sent a silent, telepathic message directly into the mind of his most faithful servant, its words cloaked in the grandiloquence of divine wisdom.
'Bai Shuiling. Do not be alarmed. This is not the star we seek.'
The High Priestess, kneeling on the platform amidst the overwhelming pressure, heard the voice of her god in her soul. It was a beacon of clarity in the storm of light.
'My Lord?' she projected back in fervent prayer. 'But the light… the divine mark…?'
'This child is merely the descendant of one who received my blessings long ago,' Tang San's mental voice lied smoothly. 'A faint echo of my bloodline remains within him, which caused this unforeseen resonance. A fortunate but ultimately irrelevant anomaly. The true Star of Destiny remains hidden from us.'
It was a plausible explanation, one that preserved the mystery and redirected suspicion.
'I understand, my Lord,' Bai Shuiling replied, her faith unwavering. The word of her god was absolute truth.
'Your search here is concluded,' Tang San continued, his new plan forming swiftly. 'This path has borne no fruit. It is time for a new directive. Take your guardians and depart from Shrek. Your new destination is the Dou Ling Empire.'
'The Dou Ling Empire, My Lord?' she questioned internally, a flicker of confusion piercing her devotion. It was the weakest of the three great empires, hardly a breeding ground for supreme talent.
'Yes,' Tang San affirmed. 'The search for the star has proven difficult. Therefore, we must change our strategy. We will sow the seeds of faith, so that when the star finally reveals itself, the world will be a garden ready to receive it. Go to the Dou Ling Empire. Spread my teachings. Gather loyal followers. Build temples. Let my glory shine in the weakest corners of the world, so that they may find strength in my name. The world must be prepared for the great threats that loom on the horizon. This is a far more important task.'
The new mission, cloaked in the benevolent purpose of strengthening the world, was grand and noble. Bai Shuiling's confusion vanished, replaced by a renewed sense of holy purpose.
'Your will is my command, My Lord. I will not fail you.'
With his instructions delivered, Tang San turned a fraction of his attention back to his daughter's Spiritual Sea. The resonance from the pearl was causing the slumbering, true half of her soul to stir, threatening to awaken and merge with the active consciousness of 'Wang Dong.' He couldn't allow that. Not yet. The integration had to happen at a time and place of his choosing—specifically, when she was ready to merge with the Auspicious Beast.
His divine sense, a silent guardian, pulsed with a gentle but absolute power. It wrapped around the stirring soul fragment, soothing it, suppressing it, pushing it back into its deep, protected slumber. It was a simple task for a being of his level. The crisis was averted.
He then allowed the grand display of power at Shrek Academy to fade. The pillar of light receded back into the pearl. The crushing divine pressure lifted. The glowing trident mark on Wang Dong's forehead faded into nothingness.
The students and teachers in the plaza slowly picked themselves up, their faces a mixture of fear, awe, and utter confusion. Wang Dong stumbled back from the pearl, his heart hammering, a strange sense of loss echoing in his soul, though he couldn't understand why.
Bai Shuiling rose gracefully to her feet. She addressed the stunned academy elders, her face a mask of serene composure. "It seems our search here has been fruitless. We thank you for your cooperation."
Without further explanation, she turned. With the Sea Dragon and Sea Woman Douluo in her wake, she rose into the air and departed as swiftly as she had arrived, leaving a bewildered Shrek Academy in her wake. The great mystery of what had just transpired would be debated for weeks, but with the visitors gone, it eventually faded into another of the academy's many legends.
Tang San, back in his celestial palace, allowed himself a moment of quiet contemplation. The search for the star had failed. His plans would have to be adjusted.
'No matter,' he thought, his confidence unshaken. 'The long game is what matters. Increasing my base of followers will provide a constant stream of faith energy, which will be invaluable for the trials ahead, and for my own cultivation. If this Star of Destiny is truly worthy, it will rise to prominence on its own. When it does, I will find it. And if not… there are other talents on the continent. I can always choose another to be the pillar of my Tang Sect, and a worthy match for Xiao Qi.'
His plans were merely delayed, not defeated. The God of Wisdom was, above all, patient.
~~
A few days later, the chaotic energy of the Sea God Island's visit was replaced by the feverish excitement of the annual New Student Knockout Tournament. The preliminary rounds had been a trivial affair for Wang Dong's team. Now, in the finals, they faced their first real challenge.
Their opponents were a team whose reputation preceded them: Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie.
Wang Dong stood on the grand arena stage, the roar of the crowd a distant hum. The frustration from the Sea God Pearl incident had been channeled into a cold, competitive anger. Beside him stood the quiet and focused Xiao Xiao, and the bubbly, slightly nervous Ling Wei.
Across from them stood their rivals. Dai Huabin, his handsome face marred by a perpetual, arrogant sneer, his eyes radiating a predatory light. At his side, the lithe and deadly Zhu Lu crouched like a panther ready to spring. And slightly behind them, the deceptively beautiful Cui Yajie smiled, her eyes holding a cunning glint.
The match began.
"Nine-Tailed Fox, Charm!" Cui Yajie acted first. Her eyes began to glow with a pink, mesmerizing light, and an enchanting aura washed over Wang Dong's team. Ling Wei's eyes immediately glazed over, her focus lost.
"Nine Phoenix Dancing Flute: Slow!" Xiao Xiao responded instantly. She brought a beautiful, jade-like flute to her lips, and a wave of sound, carrying a decelerating energy, washed over Cui Yajie, disrupting the flow of her charm.
At the same time, Dai Huabin charged. "White Tiger Shield Body Barrier!" His first, hundred-year yellow Soul Ring lit up, and a translucent shield of light enveloped him.
Ling Wei, trying to redeem herself and impress Wang Dong, foolishly unleashed a flurry of wind blades. They shattered harmlessly against Dai Huabin's shield. With a contemptuous smirk, he didn't even slow down, simply swatting her with his arm as he passed. The blow sent her tumbling from the stage, defeated in the first ten seconds.
"Three against two," Dai Huabin sneered. "This is already over."
"Cauldron Quake!" Xiao Xiao was undeterred. Her first spirit, the Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron, slammed into the ground in front of her, sending a powerful shockwave through the stage that momentarily staggered Dai Huabin's charge.
Wang Dong's brilliant blue butterfly wings unfurled. "Guillotine Wings!" He shot forward, his wings glowing with a sharp light, slicing through the air towards Zhu Lu, who was attempting to flank Xiao Xiao.
"Hell Rush Stab!" Zhu Lu's own hundred-year Soul Ring flared. Her body became a black blur, her sharp claws aimed directly at Wang Dong's heart.
Their attacks met in a shower of sparks. Wang Dong's powerful wings deflected her claws, but her speed was astonishing. The two became a whirlwind of blue light and black shadows, exchanging dozens of blows in a matter of seconds.
"White Tiger Intense Light Wave!" Dai Huabin, having recovered from the cauldron's quake, unleashed a blinding ball of white light from his mouth.
Xiao Xiao was ready. "Cauldron Sweep!" Her second cauldron appeared, spinning like a top and deflecting the light wave harmlessly into the sky. But the move left her open.
Cui Yajie seized the opportunity. "Fox Tail Needle!" Nine ethereal needles of pure spirit energy shot from behind her, homing in on Xiao Xiao from multiple angles.
The attack was too fast, too sudden. Just as the needles were about to strike, Wang Dong, with a furious cry, disengaged from Zhu Lu and appeared in front of Xiao Xiao, his butterfly wings wrapping around her like a protective shield. The needles struck the wings with a series of sharp pings, causing him to grit his teeth in pain.
Dai Huabin laughed. "Protecting your comrade? How noble! But it's futile! Third Spirit Ring: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
His thousand-year purple Soul Ring erupted with power. His body swelled, his muscles bulging, his skin taking on a metallic sheen. His aura skyrocketed, his power now completely overwhelming. He charged, a living juggernaut of destruction.
Xiao Xiao knew her cauldrons couldn't block this head-on. Wang Dong knew his Guillotine Wings would be shattered. They were outmatched. A flicker of desperation, something he had never truly felt before, ignited in Wang Dong's soul.
He pushed Xiao Xiao back. "Get ready!" he yelled.
Then, to the utter, gasping shock of the entire arena—including the teachers and elders watching—a second Martial Soul erupted from his back. It was not a thing of beauty or light. It was a colossal, brutish, black war hammer that seemed to absorb the very light around it.
The Clear Sky Hammer.
"The legendary number one tool Martial Soul!" someone in the crowd screamed. The entire arena was in an uproar.
Even without a Soul Ring, the sheer, crushing weight and innate power of the hammer was terrifying. Wang Dong, with a roar of pure effort, swung the massive weapon in a wide arc, meeting Dai Huabin's charge head-on.
BOOM!
The resulting shockwave shook the entire arena stage. Dai Huabin, for all the power of his Vajra Transformation, was actually knocked back several steps, his arrogant sneer replaced by a look of stunned disbelief.
"A twin spirit…" he breathed, his eyes wide.
Wang Dong didn't give him time to recover. He pressed his advantage, the Clear Sky Hammer a terrifying weapon of pure physical force, while his butterfly wings gave him unparalleled mobility. For a moment, it seemed he would win. He was pushing the mighty Dai Huabin back.
But Dai Huabin, seeing his victory slipping away, his pride on the line, let out a furious roar. He looked at Zhu Lu. "Now!"
She understood instantly. She rushed to his side. They clasped hands, their Soul Power surging, merging. "Soul Fusion Skill!" they cried in unison.
A blinding light, half white, half black, enveloped them. Their bodies fused, distorted, and reshaped, forming a new, terrifying creature. It was a colossal tiger, larger than Dai Huabin's transformed state, its fur striped with black and white, and a third, sinister eye pulsing on its forehead.
The Netherworld White Tiger.
Its power was on a completely different level. It was a qualitative leap, a force that had no place in a freshman tournament.
It let out a roar that was not just sound, but a physical wave of force. It struck Xiao Xiao's defensive cauldrons, and they shattered into motes of light, the backlash sending her collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
Now, it was just Wang Dong against the monster.
He held the Clear Sky Hammer before him, his Radiant Butterfly wings beating furiously. He unleashed his strongest attack, the Light of the Butterfly Goddess, a devastating wave of holy energy, while simultaneously bringing the hammer down with all his might.
The Netherworld White Tiger simply raised a paw.
The wave of light dissipated against its fur. The colossal hammer struck its paw and stopped dead, as if hitting an immovable mountain.
Then, the tiger swiped.
Wang Dong had no time to dodge. The claws, wreathed in an aura of black and white energy, struck him squarely. His butterfly wings shattered. The Clear Sky Hammer was torn from his grasp. He was sent flying from the stage like a broken doll, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor below.
The match was over.
Silence fell over the arena, followed by a thunderous roar of victory for Dai Huabin's team.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu separated, breathing heavily but triumphant. Dai Huabin stood at the edge of the stage, looking down at the defeated Wang Dong, who was being helped up by medics, his handsome face bruised and his eyes blazing with a furious, humiliated light.
"It seems," Dai Huabin called out, his voice dripping with condescending arrogance for the entire arena to hear, "that even the number one tool Martial Soul, the legendary Clear Sky Hammer, is no match for the true number one beast Martial Soul, my Evil Eye White Tiger!"
The taunt struck Wang Dong harder than any physical blow.
He stared up at his victorious rival, his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles were white. He had lost. Even after revealing his greatest secret, his twin spirit, he had been utterly, crushingly defeated. The anger, the frustration, the sheer humiliation of it all burned in his chest like a cold fire. This feeling… this was a thousand times worse than boredom. And he swore, in that silent, furious moment, that he would never, ever feel it again.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels like "Blood Silver Emperor", "Harem Master: Seduction System" and the "Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist" and I hope you like this story and those stories as well.
Check out more chapters on my P.atreon. The P.atreon will have 20+ Chapters ahead for this story. I hope you like it.
The link of p.atreon is: bit.ly/evildragon